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The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics recognizes John Clarke, Michel Devoret, and John Martinis for showing that quantum effects such as tunnelling and energy quantization can occur in macroscopic electrical circuits. Their pioneering work turned the Josephson junction, which was once a theoretical curiosity, into a key building block of modern quantum technology. This talk will outline how these discoveries led to the development of superconducting qubits, which form the basis of today’s quantum computers. I will discuss how Josephson-based circuits allow us to observe and control quantum behavior in systems made of billions of electrons, and how this has deepened our understanding of the boundary between the quantum and classical worlds. These ideas continue to shape the ongoing quest to build practical, scalable quantum technologies and in particular the hardwire behind present day intermediate-scale quantum computers. |